The tragedies of being an army wife
by GemmaXoxo
Summary: It's been ten years since Emma signed her leave for the army. But when a massive war breaks out she has to commit to her duties once again. Regina is pregnant with another child. She is left to look after Henry alone and she has to face the prospect of being an army wife once again along with the heartbreak that could come with it.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is a completely AU idea I've wanted to write for ages and there is something about Emma's character that I think suits this role perfectly. I'm just pre warning you that there is going to be major character death and I hope that doesn't put you off. I hope you enjoy reading this fic and don't forget to let me know what you think in the reviews. Thank you all.

Emma sat by the window, there was an empty silence in the house and it seemed strange not having Henry and Regina there, it was the afternoon which meant that Henry was at school and Regina was busy tending to her duties at the office. It was something that Emma wasn't used to. The noises that she heard in the army were constant and it was rare that there was complete silence. Emma thought back to her memories of being in the army and went back to the experiences that she had been through.

_Emma patrolled through the dusty land of somewhere that she had never seen before, the air was thick and heavy which made it hard to breathe. There were children roaming the streets motherless and fatherless. A world run by a completely corrupt government, there was no order and there didn't seem to be any sign of a truce between the two feuding countries. Emma made her choice to be a soldier it was her duty to the country and she couldn't sit back any longer watching the suffering of innocent children. The rest of the troops followed her to the arm base, she had worked her way up to the top of the ranks in just a matter of years, in most people's eyes she was just an average woman that was married with a child._

_To her troops she was a leader, the person that kept them strong and helped them to carry on fighting when things became tough. Each one had a different story to tell, most parents the same as Emma and each as determined as the other. They were a unit and they pulled together in order to fight. There were dangers wherever they turned, the enemy could have planted a bomb inside the ground but it was something that Emma had to be prepared for. _

_They slowly manoeuvred through the dusty landscape finally reaching the camp. They took off their weapons that were hanging from their waist and rested them in the tent making sure that they were covered in order to prevent them from being stolen. The beads of sweat were running down their foreheads from the scorching temperatures and Emma felt her fringe clinging to the dampness of her skin. Everything felt sticky and there was a desperate thirst that filled all of their mouths. They took a large gulp from their plastic bottles and their heavy steel toe capped boots left large blisters covering their toes. _

_The days seemed much longer than usual and the risk of infection and mosquito bites was high. The tent offered little protection from the outside world and there was a small medication kit that was always kept close. It was only a matter of minutes until they needed to be on the front line, there was no such thing as giving up in the army._

_Emma gathered the guns and other equipment that they needed and she lead them to the front line. Everyone was nervous none of them had any idea how things were going to turn out but they were all ready for anything that had to be thrown at them. _

_Emma guided the team into the area where the fight was taking place. Emma's troops were hidden in their camouflaged outfits and the opposing team were fully loaded with weapons. The sound of gunshots could be heard throughout the whole area and the sound of screams wounded from the other people. Emma signalled for her team to make their move, shots were fired at the people that were running towards them and some were shot down instantly. Their bodies spewed with blood and the land was soon becoming a death zone. _

Emma saw Henry quickly rushing up the drive and her thoughts were quickly pulled back to the present. She pulled herself away from the window and greeted the young boy that was more than pleased to see her. He ran towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist, his large brown eyes looking up at Emma past his messy head of brown hair.

"Hello kiddo, did you have a good day at school?" Emma asked curiously.

"School was great where's mom?" Henry released his grip from Emma and threw his backpack on the floor.

"She's still at work kid but I'm sure she will be home soon, I will give her a ring later to find out when she will be finished and don't forget to do your homework otherwise your mom will kill me." Emma saw a small smile grace Henry's lips and she smiled as she made her way into the kitchen.

She pulled open the fridge and to her delight there was one bottle of her favourite cider left. She grabbed the bottle opener from the drawer and snapped off the crimped metal lid. The cool liquid slid down her throat and the pleasant taste coursed through her mouth. Her phone was sliding across the breakfast bar and an image of Regina illuminated the screen. The blonde quickly answered the phone before she hung up.

"Hello Emma I was just ringing to alert you that I will be coming home as soon as I can. There are a few things that I need to finish up but they shouldn't take much more of my time but I'm sure I can make it up to you when I come home." Regina chuckled to herself light heartedly and heard a snigger utter from the other woman's mouth.

"Well don't make me wait too long then, I love you and I will see you later."

"You certainly will my dear." Regina smiled to herself and put the phone down.

Emma placed her phone on the side and checked through the drawer that she had been storing the letters from the army in. They had been sending them on a more frequent basis and it was something that Emma wasn't ready to reveal to Regina. She remembered how difficult it was for her the first time that she had been sent out and she didn't know how she would cope with that again.

Regina made her way through the front door and hung her coat on the hanger and dropped her keys onto the little table. She noticed that things seemed to be quiet and there were no sounds of Henry and Emma playing the video games that they were so obsessed with. She sauntered into the kitchen and placed her handbag on the breakfast bar. She noticed that Emma was standing by the skin looking rather sheepish.

"What have you been up to my dear? You seem to be acting rather crafty for my liking." A smirk played on Regina's lips and she slid in closer to Emma pulling her into a warm embrace.

Emma felt Regina's slightly protruded stomach pressing against her own. She was only into the early stages of the pregnancy and the bump wasn't completely noticeable but she could see that her stomach was slowly filling out. Emma placed a kiss onto her wife's cherry red lips and they were quickly interrupted by Henry standing in the doorway making his presence known.

"Eww moms can you stop doing that please, I came down for something to eat not to see you two standing there doing things." Henry contorted his face in displeasure from the sight and he pulled out the milk from the fridge.

Regina released her grip from Emma and discretely winked at her suggesting that they would get some time of their own later. The dark haired woman took out Henry's favourite cookies from the cupboard and allowed him to indulge in the sweet treats that he enjoyed so much. It was rare for her to allow that but the pregnancy was causing her hormones to be all over the place and she was happy to give in to her sons demands.

Henry's face lit up at the sight of a plate of cookies and he quickly scoffed them down and then rushed back up to his room in order to complete the rest of his homework.

Emma made her way into the living room and made herself comfortable on the sofa trying to hide the truth from Regina. The dark haired woman slowly followed behind and she could tell that there was something different about Emma. She didn't seem to be her normal self and there seemed to be thoughts that were taunting her.

"Emma dear what's wrong? Are you thinking about the army again because if you are then we can talk about it I don't want you to end up bottling things up as it doesn't help it just tends to make things more difficult." Regina looked at the blonde with the look of concern in her eyes.

"I'm fine Regina honestly if there was something wrong then I would tell you." Emma smiled and propped herself against the sofa with her legs stretched out.

She gently took Regina's hand and pulled her in closer allowing her back to rest against her muscular abdomen. Emma placed her hands over Regina's small stomach and gently soothed it trying to reduce some of the pain that her wife was experiencing. She felt the warmth of her skin against her hands and she patiently waited to see if she would feel a kick from the baby. Regina rested her head in the curve of Emma's shoulder blade and placed a gentle kiss on her neck.

Regina looked down at her bump and placed her hand just above Emma's. "I think this baby will be the making of Henry. They can play all sorts of games with each other and I think it will be a positive experience for him. "

"I agree Regina he won't have to be an only child anymore and he will have someone to talk to rather than having to listen to us all the time."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm going to be honest I'm not the best person at writing smut but it was something that I wanted to add to the story so I hope you're not too harsh with your comments. I hope you like the update and feedback is always welcome. Thank you.

Regina begrudgingly released herself from Emma's comfortable embrace and slowly pulled herself off the sofa trying to avoid the feeling of being light headed.

"Where are you waddling off to?" Emma asked jokingly.

"Very funny my dear, but I've just remembered that Henry is going round his friend's house tonight for a sleepover which means that we will have the house to ourselves." Regina smiled before making her way out of the room.

Emma leant forward and ran her hands through her thick blonde hair. She couldn't help but worry about the amount of letters that were beginning to pile up in the drawer. She managed to hide them for the time being but there would come a point when Regina would end up finding them. Emma couldn't afford for that to happen it would tear apart their relationship and she couldn't bare the thought of losing Regina. She was the person that supported her through all the decisions that she had made and she was still there when she came back from the army. Keeping it from her would make her a liar and that was one thing that Regina couldn't stand.

Emma pulled herself off the sofa and made her way into the kitchen in order to steady her nerves for when she was going to tell Regina the truth. She needed to tell Regina before she found out herself and with Henry being away it would be the perfect opportunity to tell her without any interruptions. She searched through the cupboard for a small glass and found her favourite bottle of whiskey that she hid near the back in order to stop Regina from finding it.

She generously poured the dark liquid into the glass and took a large gulp. The sharp taste sent a burning sensation down the back of her throat and she rested the glass on the breakfast bar. The sound of Regina plodding up the stairs echoed through the hallway and Emma grabbed her jacket ready to take Henry to his sleepover.

Regina popped her head around the corner of Henry's bedroom door and checked that he was getting ready for the sleepover "Henry sweetie can you gather your things please as your sleepover is tonight, make sure you pack a pair of pyjamas and your toothbrush."

Henry rolled his eyes "Yes Mom I've done most of my bag I just need to finish the level on this game, it will only take me a minute."

"I thought you were meant to be doing your homework young man." Regina stepped into his bedroom and gave him a stern look with her hands rested on her hips.

"I've done it all mum." Henry smiled cheekily and Regina instantly gave in to his cheekiness.

"I believe you thousands wouldn't but just make sure that your ready for when Emma needs to take you to your friend's house." Regina smiled and made her way back downstairs.

Regina took a firm grip of the banister using it as a support in order for her not to have any accidents. She cautiously made her way down the staircase taking her time considering she had someone else to think of rather than just herself. As she reached the bottom of the stairs she could hear Emma clambering around in the kitchen.

She made her way into the kitchen and could see a worried look etched across Emma's face. She also happened to notice the whiskey that was still in the glass on the side; alcohol was something that Emma used before she was going to make a shocking announcement.

"What's wrong Emma you seem to be worried about something, you can tell me if there is something that is bothering you, and we don't need to hide things from each other." Regina ran her hand over Emma's arm in order to try and reassure her that she was there."

"I'm fine Regina honestly I don't want you worrying and stressing yourself out it won't be any help to the baby." Emma placed her hand over Regina's small stomach and gently kissed her wife on the cheek. "I need to take Henry to his sleepover now, why don't you have a lie down for a bit then we can finally have some alone time."

Regina nodded and made her way into the living room in order to make herself comfortable on the sofa.

Henry came charging down the stairs with his bag full of things ready for the sleepover. He managed to sneak in a few treats which were kept a secret from Regina as she didn't like him gorging on high calories food. Regina placed a small kiss on Henry's forehead and said her goodbyes to him as he left for the sleepover.

"Come on then kiddo let's get you to that sleepover before your friend thinks you're not coming." Emma ran her head through his messy brown hair and took the bag for him.

Henry rushed out to the car way ahead of Emma and threw himself into the front seat waiting for the blonde to follow behind. Emma slowly followed behind and threw his bag into the boot of the car and then accompanied him in the front. She turned up the radio and forced the keys into the rusty ignition. The car let out a loud creaking noise and Emma forcefully pushed the car into gear. There was an awkward silence between Emma and Henry which was something that didn't happen very often. Henry was too bust staring out the window thinking about his sleepover and Emma's thoughts were focused on how she was going to break the news to Regina and what her reaction was going to be like.

Emma pulled up outside the house and jumped out of the car making sure that Henry had everything before she left. "If you need me or you mom at all you know that you can call straight away and we will come and pick you up. Have a good time and don't do anything that I wouldn't do."

Henry laughed and said his goodbyes "Thanks mom I will see you in the morning, love you." The young boy quickly ran up to the front door before his mother could end up doing something to embarrass him.

Regina slowly woke up as she heard the front door being opened. She propped her back up against the sofa and waited for Emma to make her way into the living room. Emma kicked off her shoes and made her way into the living room. She could see that Regina had been sleeping; her hair wasn't in perfect order as it would be normally and her eyes were slightly bloodshot.

"I hope you're not too tired for our alone time I've been waiting all day for Henry to go to his friend's house for that sleepover." Emma smiled deviously and took Regina's hand in her own gradually lifting her from the sofa.

"Luckily for you my dear I'm not that tired and I'm sure I can find a way of making it up to you." Regina led Emma up the stairs and they were both giggling like two naughty teenagers.

They entered the bedroom and Emma started to remove Regina's clothing in order to reveal her perfect body. Regina slid her hands around the blonde's waist and slowly pulled her top off her body revealing her muscular abdomen. Both women smiled devilishly and Emma pressed Regina's body against the silk duvet being careful not to cause any harm to the baby.

Emma lowered her body onto Regina's and pushed her hips into her wife's, locking their bodies into each other. They could both feel the heat of their own skin against them and the smell of Regina's Chanel perfume was intoxicating. Emma slowly ran her tongue across Regina's cherry red lips, the taste of her strawberry lip gloss sat on the tip of her tongue. The dark haired woman brushed the strands of blonde hair out of Emma's face and tucked them behind her ears. The dark haired woman nibbled on the blonde's ear lobe and listened to the gentle moans that were escaping her mouth. She brushed her lips against Emma's neck and sucked on it in order to leave her mark; it was something that the blonde seemed to enjoy very much.

Emma pressed her lips harder onto Regina's bringing them both into a passionate embrace. Regina felt herself gripping onto the silk sheets her nails digging into the luxurious feeling fabric. Emma trailed kisses across Regina's protruding collar bones and above her breasts. There was something even more sexy about her figure, her breasts had become larger and her sex drive was definitely increasing. Emma's hands nestled through Regina's dark locks of hair, pulling at it slightly while biting on her ear lobe, Regina moaned loudly.

Emma ran her tongue across Regina's dark pink nipples, they became harder with each flick of her tongue and the dark haired woman's eyes widened. Emma sucked on her nipples and bit down slightly making Regina's toes curl up. She sent kisses over her protruded stomach and caressed her hands over the small bump that was beginning to form. Regina could feel an intense heat in her thigh area making her panties slightly wet. Emma gripped onto the red lacy g string with her teeth and eagerly pulled it off, exposing the rest of Regina.

Emma's tongue sketched over Regina's clit, two fingers penetrating into her sex, making her moan for more. Her hips jolted forward, Regina placed her hand on the top of Emma's hand not wanting the explosive pleasure to stop. Her fingers deepened into her warmed sex, her thumb rubbing over her stiffened clit. Regina had never felt pleasure like that. Her body was trembling from Emma's touch and her face depicted utter seduction. Emma made her movement's even quicker and harder making Regina scream out her name. Regina collapsed to the bed, her heart racing and her sex pulsating from pure pleasure. She took a moment to catch her breath and then rolled over pressing her body onto Emma. Regina pushed her arms to the top of the bed and held them there in order to stop her from fidgeting. A devious smile spread across Regina's face as she leaned in closer to Emma. Her lips pressed against Emma's pale pink cheeks and she kissed along her cheekbones and down her neck. The blonde could feel her body getting hotter as Regina moved further down her body. Regina sucked on Emma's perk nipples biting on them slightly harder; Emma's moan became increasingly louder. Regina slid her way down the bed and placed her hands on Emma's thighs, her tongue effortlessly slid into her sex, the tip of her tongue massaging and sucking her clit, the blonde could feel her body shaking as it gave into the demands of Regina's touch.

Regina slid two fingers into Emma's sex and her long slender fingers curled upwards towards her g spot. Emma could feel her sex pulsating and her eyes fluttered from the intense pleasure. Regina pushed them in and out trying to stimulate Emma's needs as much as she possibly could.

Regina placed her thumb over Emma's clit rubbing it quicker and with more pressure, Emma couldn't help but moan Regina's name. Her clit felt stiff and her body trembled under Regina's control. Her hips jolted forward as she felt herself reach her climax, the blonde let out a louder moan and collapsed on the bed breathing heavily and beads of sweat ran across her forehead.

Regina brushed Emma's hair off her damp forehead and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Emma smiled and rolled on her side allowing her to wrap herself around Regina's back. There wasn't a space between them and the blonde rested her arm under Regina's stomach. The dark haired woman could feel the warmth of the other woman's breath running down her neck and she felt the hairs on her neck standing on end.


	3. Chapter 3

Emma's heart was beating violently at the thought of having to tell Regina the truth. It could go two ways she would either completely freak out or she would accept the fact that it was what she needed to do. Emma knew that there would be other people that wouldn't be happy about it. Snow was happy to express her dislike for it the first time she was enlisted and charming happened to put in his own thoughts as well.

Emma took in the deepest breath she could muster and swallowed hard before releasing her grip from Regina. The dark haired woman felt the instant loss of contact and she carefully rolled over to consult the blonde. The look of worry was sketched into every inch of her face.

Regina could tell that there was something that Emma was holding back. She had come to know her well enough to tell when there was something that she was hiding.

Regina slid in closer to Emma and took her hand in her own "Emma dear what's wrong? You look scared to death, whatever it is you need to say to me I will listen you know that."

Emma smiled and though as if that is meant to be some kind of comfort for what I'm about to tell you` Emma felt the tears filling up in her eyes, she wasn't usually one for making a big deal out of things. "Regina I'm sorry I don't want you to think that I'm trying to abandon you or our unborn child but there's something I need to tell you. Emma tried to finish her sentence before Regina quickly interjected.

"Emma dear you're talking in riddles at the moment, you're going to have to explain to me what you are going on about because to be honest dear I haven't got a clue." Regina looked at the blonde in utter confusion.

"Regina I'm going back to the army, I've been hiding the letters in the drawer for months now. I had no idea how to tell you, a massive war is breaking out and I need to leave next week. I'm so sorry."

Those words felt like a knife turning in Regina's chest. The first time Emma left was hard enough, but how was she meant to cope for a second time around?

"What do you mean you're leaving us again? I don't think you realise how much it hurt the first time. I didn't know whether you were going to come home alive or I was going to get that dreaded phone call. How can you be doing this to your family again?" Emma tried to place her hand over Regina's but she recoiled from her touch. "Don't touch me."

Emma bowed her head to the floor and tried to convince Regina to listen to her "Regina I'm pleading with you to listen, I can't lose you or the children, I love you but I need to go back and I would hope that I have your support."

Regina swiftly moved away from Emma and paced around the bedroom trying not to cause too much stress to the baby. "I can't deal with this at the moment, my hormones are all over the place and I don't know how you expect me to react, you're my wife and you could end up getting killed. I need to stay with my mother for a couple of days to get my head around this. I can't stay here." Regina waved her hands in the air in an angry gesture.

"Regina please." Emma tried to grab Regina's arm with the tears streaming down her face.

"Emma don't make this any harder for me than it already is. I will call you in the morning." The words escaped in an airy whisper and Regina left the bedroom, her throat feeling tight.

"REGINA" Emma shouted but received no response. Her body collapsed to the bed in a distraught state.

Regina heard the shouts coming from Emma but she ignored them. She couldn't bear to hear the hurt in her voice but she couldn't bring herself to face the truth either.

The dark haired woman made her way downstairs and rushed into the kitchen. Regina grabbed the phone from the holder. Her hands were shaking but she managed to dial her mother's number. She waited a couple of minutes and then the sound of her voice drifted down the phone.

"Hello Regina my dear what's wrong?" Cora asked in a concerned tone.

"It's Emma she's told me some shocking news and I need to stay with you for a couple of days to get my head around it. I can't stay here it's too much stress on the baby."

"I knew that girl was no good for you my dear, what has she done now? I swear to God there will be a day where I will do something that I regret."

"No mother it's not like that, she has been called back to the army as there is another war on I just can't cope with that at the moment. I don't want the stress to effect the baby."

"I will drive to your house my dear then we can talk things through properly."

"Thank you mother."

Regina ended the phone call and placed the phone back in the holder. She made her way into the living room in order to wait for her mother to arrive. Her body sank into the sofa and she placed her hands over her stomach whispering to the small bump.

"I'm sorry for everything that is happening, hopefully me and your mummy will sort things out soon and things will go back to normal. I love you little one." Regina unconsciously rubbed her hand over her stomach.

***  
Cora grabbed the car keys and quickly rushed outside into the pouring rain. The freezing droplets of water pelted onto her pale skin and small goose bumps formed on her arms. She frantically slipped the keys between her finger tips and managed to push them into the car.

She jumped in and forced the key into the ignition. The journey to Regina's house was short which meant that it wouldn't be long until she could comfort her daughter. She travelled in the car in complete silence and kept her mind focused on what she was going to say to her daughter. Her first instinct was to go in all guns blazing but she knew that approach wouldn't solve anything and it would just end up causing more problems. Cora kept her eyes focused on the road and she swerved into the space that was outside Regina's house.

She carefully stepped out of the car and slammed the door behind her. She swiftly made her way up the stairs and let herself in. The older woman peered her head around the corner and saw her daughter sat on the edge of the sofa cradling her hands around her small stomach. Cora smiled at her daughter's immediate motherly protection towards her unborn child.

"Hello Regina, it's nice to see you looking so well your positively glowing." Cora smiled proudly and took a seat next to her daughter.

Regina turned around and placed her hand on her mother's shoulder "Thank you for coming round at such short notice, I didn't mean to inconvenience you but you're the only person I could think to call in this situation."

"It's not a problem my dear but I do not agree with the way that Emma is treating you. The stress won't be doing any good for your or the baby. The instability will also have a negative effect on Henry as well I imagine. I just hope you make the right decision my dear." Cora placed her hand over Regina's stomach and kissed her gently on the cheek.

Cora helped her daughter out of the chair and grabbed the bag that she had packed for the days that she would be staying. Regina followed her mother outside and looked away as she saw Emma sat on the landing watching her leave.

Emma felt her heart sink as Regina carried on leaving as if she meant nothing to her. She would end up being the one that would have to explain things to Henry and make herself seem like the bad guy.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm sorry it's taken me forever to update but I've been over run with coursework but now some of it is out the way I can hopefully get back to writing. I hope you enjoy the update and there is certainly more to come. Please leave a review to let me know what you think, all feedback is appreciated.

Emma stared at the door as it shut behind her wife. She couldn't believe what was happening. She heard a noise, the door was opening. She braced herself for another moment with Regina. But Henry walked in instead. How was she going to explain this?

His face pictured the feeling she wished that she could have expressed on her own face. He was so happy and in his mind everything was the same as it always had been and there was no reason to be worried about anything. Emma on the other hand was the complete opposite her emotions were all over the place and she was panicking. How was she meant to tell a young boy that she was going back to the army? His hopes were always pinned on them remaining as a family and sticking together but that couldn't always be the reality of the situation.

Henry saw Emma perched on the edge of the step and he could tell she had been crying. Her eyes were puffy and a pale red with a faint streak of watered down mascara running down her face. He knew it had to be something serious as it was on a rare occasion that Emma would express emotion in front of people.

Henry moved towards the bottom of the staircase and took a seat a few steps lower from Emma. His chocolate brown eyes looked up beneath his messy brown hair and he looked sympathetic. "What's wrong Emma, I can tell that you've been crying." His voice was soft and gentle.

Emma tried to shrug it off like she normally did but this was the one person she couldn't lie to. He looked up to her, even though at times she wasn't the best of role models. "Its me and your mom we had a bit of a disagreement and she's gone to stay at Cora's house, there's something I need to tell you bit I hope that you will be more understanding than what your mom was."

Henry looked at her in confusion "Emma what is it I'm sure it can't be that bad?"

Emma took a deep breath and swallowed hard trying to lubricate her dry throat "I'm going back to the army Henry, I'm so sorry they need me there another war has broken out and I can't leave them behind. I have been told that I need to fly out next week." Emma saw the cheery look instantly drain from Henry's face.

"WHAT ABOUT ME AND MOM AND THE BABY." Henry jumped from the stairs and shouted at Emma his face getting darker in colour.

"Henry please don't do this, it's not something I planned to happen but it will only be for a few months this time and I need you to be strong in order to look after your mom and your little brother or sister." Emma felt her throat tightening and the watery liquid began to fill in her eyes.

Henry turned away and stormed towards the front door getting ready to run away from what he was hearing. Emma quickly ran up behind Henry and placed her hand against the front door stopping him from leaving.

"How could you do this to us again, you don't know what it was like last time waiting for you to come home." Henry's bottom lip started quivering and he tried to remain angry at Emma.

Emma slowly moved in closer to Henry and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. He tried his best to pull away but the blonde hade a firm grip over him. She rested her head onto his and felt his chest moving in and out hearing the faint sobs that were being uttered. He didn't want her to leave again but he knew eventually he would have to come to the realisation that she had to leave.


End file.
